apple farming

Apple orchards are beautiful places: In the spring, there are flowering trees, then as the summer progresses, there is growing fruit. And in the fall, the harvest of crisp juicy apples. But apple farming is more than just watching fruit grow on trees!

Apple farming is really year-round work, with much to be done in each of the four seasons. 

Here’s what apple farming entails during each season. 

Winter

During the winter months, apple farmers can take a little bit of a break, but there is still important work to be done. That’s because winter is the season that apple farmers use to prune their trees of dead – or unproductive – wood. In winter, the trees are dormant so it’s safe to prune them. 

Spring

Spring is the season when the apple blossoms bloom. It’s also a time when trees can be hit by damage due to pests, frost and more. Our Fresh Forward apple farmers also use the spring season to hand thin the apples from the tree. Why do they do this? It’s because leaving too many apples on the trees will make for very small apples. It will also cause the trees to overproduce for the year (and possibly underproduce the next year). 

Summer and Fall

In the summer, there is a little bit of watching the apples grow – which is one of the best parts of apple farming! It’s also a time to make sure to keep up on weeding and watering so the apples grow to their proper size. By August, most apple farmers are working up to the busy season – otherwise known as the harvest. Apples are picked from August until the end of October, depending on the variety. 

And since our Fresh Forward growers use cold storage, those apples are available to you – fresh, juicy and crisp – through the spring!

Fresh Forward

At Fresh Forward, feeding families is our passion. We work with local farmers to get the best, and freshest, produce on your family’s table. Ask your favorite grocery store, farm stand or produce market to carry Fresh Forward products. 

Learn more about the Fresh Forward mission here.